


Assumptions

by Firemints



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fusion, Buffy the Vampire Slayer References, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Crossover, F/M, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-23
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-18 12:09:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2347970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firemints/pseuds/Firemints
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First Fan fiction...ever. I've been reading it for several years and never felt the desire to write it until this bunny wouldn't not leave me alone. </p>
<p>This is what happens when friends make assumptions. Misunderstandings and paperwork.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Characters herein are not mine, much to my distress. 
> 
> To all the Steve/Bucky and Natasha/Clint fans, their relationship is more like a cameo...sorry.

The two figures paused in the shadows outside the medium sized town home. The female used her key, glanced back at her companion, and opened the door. They entered the home and the pair ghosted down the hall. Silent. They both could hear soft murmuring coming from the living room around the hall. At least three persons had made themselves comfortable in the medium-sized room.  She paused as she saw two of the shadows came together and then sink into the shadow of the couch. Natasha smirked and quickened her steps down the hall. She grinned in triumphed and she rounded the corner.  She’d known that is was only a matter of time before those two—

Natasha stopped. No, not _those_ two. “Huh”.

Clint side stepped his frozen partner and ambled over to the small kitchen table and took a seat next to Sam. He nodded in greeting and smirked at his still blinking partner.  He followed her gaze and looked at the two men cuddled on the couch.  Yeah, she hadn’t been expecting The Winter Soldier and Captain American.  He heard Sam snicker.

Natasha looked at Sam as he flipped to the next page of his book.

“You said you were dating.” Her voice had little infliction and her eyes traced the distance between Sam and the now interested Bucky and Steve. 

Sam glanced up and raised an eyebrow.  He smiled a goofy smile that showed his bunny teeth, “I am. Just not Steve. _Or_ Bucky. Or, whoever you thought I was stepping out with. “

Natasha narrowed her eyes and took a small step in Sam’s direction. Clint sat up a bit and started planning escape routs from his current position. No good can come from _that_ look. Natasha pursed her lips slightly and studied her team-mates face. “You said I knew him.”

Sam sat up in his chair and nodded. “You do, and that reminds me of somethin’.” He stood and walked to the storage closet and pulled out a black leather jacket and a high powered scope that could be mounted to a bow. He set the scope near Clint’s elbow and handed Natasha the jacket.

“He said sorry about Budapest.”

Clink choked on the drink he’d been swallowing.  He coughed out, “What! You’re dating _him!?_ ”  
 

Sam tilted his head back and laughed at the reaction. He looked down and smiled fondly at the floor. “Yeah, off and on for a few years now. He just…showed up one evening to speak with one of my girls.  He stood out you know.” Sam waved a hand vaguely towards the left side of his face, near his eye.  He shrugged. “We started talking and—what? What’s wrong ‘tasha?”   He had never seen that look on her face before. She started at him and studied his face like he was a strange experiment that was potentially going wrong. Sam and Natasha held eye contact for several moments.

Clink and Steve shared a look from their respective seats and watched as their team mates stared at each other. Bucky looked at all four Heroes and wondered what was going on. Even _he_ could tell something was off. She better not hurt Sam though.  Sam was his friend.

Natashe tisked finally and took the offered jacket. “I was going to have to update your file anyway.” She frowned slightly and looked at the tall standing at her 3 o’clock.  She looked him up and down again and said, “I didn’t think you had it in you. You just so…”

“Selfless” offered Bucky, which earned him a squeeze from Steve.

“Charming, handsome, well-read” offered Sam.

“Sexy” said Clint with an overly lecherous look at Sam’s generous backside which was now facing him. Sam looked at Clint over his shoulder and rolled his eyes.

“You’re not dangerous.” Natasha finally stated.

Sam turned back to Natasha. “Wait, you thought I _wasn’t_ dangerous? I helped you take down SHIELD, Hydra, _and_ hunt down the Winter Soldier.” Sam looked amused and irritated. Mostly amused though.

Natasha grimaced, “Yeah, I knew that. But the people that are generally attracted to him are on another level. They’re _dangerous_. Dangerous to us. I guess… I never saw you as that.”

Sam sighed and asked silently for permission to approach.  It was granted and he gave his friend a reassuring hug. “Hey, we’re a team. You don’t have to worry about that.” They locked eyes again, “Do you believe me?”

Natasha smiled as she returned the hug. “Yeah, I do”

Clint nodded from his seat and sat back in his chair. He picked up the cup he’d been using and finished downing his drink. Steve and Buckey relaxed back on the couch together and watched Natasha make herself right at home on Clint’s lap. Sam grabbed another sweet tea from the cooler and retook his seat. Steve looked at his team sitting around the table. “So Sam, just _who_ are you dating? Those two seem to know him but you've never said his name.”

Sam looked around Natasha’s shoulder and smiled at Steve. “No, I guess I haven’t.”

He smile turned fond, “His name is Xander.”

 

 

 


	2. Assumptions, Dates, and Red Tai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Steve x Bucky and Clint x Natasha is a little more evident here, oh and there’s Pepper x Tony too. Also…I’m completely ignoring the whole Xander x Dawn thing the comics have going on.

Sam finished the case management report for his last client of the day. He glanced at the cheap analog clock hanging in his government provided office and grimaced. He wouldn't have time to go home and change before his date. He took in a breath and evaluated this current outfit; khaki pants, sky-blue button down, and dark colored dress shoes. He shrugged and unbuttoned the top three buttons and rolled up his sleeves as he pushed his chair away from the desk. He’d do, not that Xander had much room to complain given his usual wardrobe choices.

Sam walked down the long tan and brown hallways of the Veterans clinic to the metal double doors that opened to the parking lot. He sighed as he glanced around the parking lot and strode to his car.  He slid into the vehicle, buckled up, and started a hopefully uneventful commute todays date night destination, The Red Tai Dragon. 

After parking in the small lot he briskly walked to the entrance of the building. As he walked a glint of dying sunlight flickered across the corner of his eye and made him squint. Sam opened the clear class door and dodged the hanging bells which clanged as the door closed. The elder woman up front bobbed her long iron-grey covered head and merrily called out a greeting by way of Sam’s go-to order. He smiled, waved, and looked significantly towards the back room partially hidden by a red and gold beaded curtain. The old woman’s smile turned into a knowing smirk and a bright twinkle in her eye. As he passed he swore he saw her wink he _was_ certain however that he felt her blatant stare as he passed. He ignored the blush that settled in his cheeks. 

“I don’t know how he does it.” Sam muttered as he passed a red-head and brunet couple to his right and a blond couple by the window.

“How does he do what?” his lover asked as Sam approached the booth.

Sam huffed as he slid into the red and black pleather seat. “Turn such sweet old women into such cougars. She winked at me, man. And I think she was staring at by butt when I passed her.”

Xander sucked in a breath between his front teeth and smirked at his date, “Well I can’t really blame her, she’s got good taste. At least you didn’t get pinched this time.”

“It’s like that, huh?” Sam shook his head and smiled fondly as he glanced around the room.

“Yeah, it’s like that.” Xander focused his gaze on Sam’s lips as he answered and licked his own as he traced is eyes from Sam’s mouth to his brown eyes down to well-built pecks and back up.  Sam rolled his eyes in response.

Xander glanced around the room too and quirked up the side of his mouth in a smile, “So, do you want to continue ignoring them or do you want to invite them to join us?”

“I was planning on ignoring them. Why?”

“Well, it didn't work very well last time when we had dinner near the school. You remember what happened with Faith.”

“Yeah, and then Dawn. I never knew anyone could talk so much with one breath.” Sam shook his head in remembered amazement.

Xander got an evil glint in his eye, “You mean besides saying ‘OhgodohgodXanharderoh—‘“

He was cut off as Sam reached over and covered his mouth with his hand. Sam was clearly embarrassed.  Xander reached up and took the hand that was still covering his mouth in to his and rotated it so he could place a gentle apologetic kiss on the knuckles.

“Sorry babe.” He murmured against the brown skin.

They held eye contact as he gently nuzzled the side of his face to the cherished hand of the older male.

Sam took a breath the reply when he was abruptly cut off by a loud voice next to their table.

“Well, that was enlightening and waaaay too much information about your love life. Oh hey, Sam—it is Sam right?  Nice job with Hydra by the way, great moves in the air—saw it on TV. I think I forgot to say that before.” Tony Stark peered down at the two men where he stood at the open end of the booth; an exasperated looking Pepper Pots next to him.

Xander and Sam stared bemusedly at the multi-billionaire still chatting at them. They had both been sure Clint and Natasha would have approached them first. Bucky and Steve were still outside probably listening in with their super-serum hearing. 

Xander turned his gaze from the still talking Tony and smiled at Pepper. “Ms. Potts, always a pleasure seeing you.”

“—upgrade the wings of the Exo—wait, you know Pepper? _My_ Pepper?” Tony narrowed his eyes at the one-eye man, “ _How_ do you know Pepper?”

Pepper tisked, “You’ve met him too. During a trip to L.A. and then again at—at the funeral.”

Tony pressed his lips together and stared harder. “Hmm… … nope.”

Xander snickered, not at all offended, and waved for Pepper and Tony to join him and Sam at the booth. “If it helps, at the time I had both eyes.” Tony snorted as he plopped down next to the one-eyed man and across from the now seated Pepper.

Sam and Pepper shared a look and rolled their eyes at their respective other halves.

Sam cocked his head to the side, “So, Tony. Why are you here? Now? At _my date._ ”

Tony huffed out at offended breath, “What? Can’t a guy take his lovely fiance out to eat Tai anymore?”  Sam continued to level a stare at him. “Not buying it huh? Alright—A certain red headed acquaintance of ours was sulking over the fact she got duped. And—“

“—And you just had to come see what the deal was?” finished Sam.

“Ah—yes. Oh come on! Anyone that can dupe one of the Assassin Twins should be at least marginally interesting... No offense.”

Sam ignored Xander’s laughter and pinched the skin between his eyes and shook his head. So much for a quiet relaxing date. “None taken.” Resigned, he sat up and raised his voice, “Steve, Bucky, ‘Tasha, Clint… you might as well come on over. Pull up a table and some chairs.” 

The blond couple stood and were unsurprisingly Clint and Natasha. As they approached they dragged the rectangle table they had been seated at and placed it next to the booth’s table.  They both sat on one side, leaving the other free for Bucky and Steve, who were now entering the dining area. Bucky’s face was mildly blank but Steve looked embarrass at having been caught.

Sam smiled, “I guess I better do introductions. Everybody, this is Xander. Clint, Natasha I believe you've met before.”  Natasha stared intensely at Xander and fingered one of her chopsticks. Sam quickly continued on with the introductions. “Steve, Bucky this is Xander. We’ve been dating for three—no four, four years now off and on. Wow.”

He and Xander shared a long look and dopy smiles that made Tony roll his eyes and Pepper smile at the pair. Steve, Clint, and Natasha shifted uncomfortably in their seats, but Bucky merely stared at the one-eyed man.

 He had been looking at him since he had entered the room. This Xander looked familiar somehow.  Bucky narrowed his eyes, and his brow furrowed.

 “I know you.”

Bucky’s quiet statement got the attention of all the Avengers present. Sam broke off eye-fucking his lover and raised a questioning eyebrow. Xander didn't see it because he had transferred his attention to studying Bucky.   Steve whipped his head around and stared at Bucky and then at Sam’s boyfriend. He tensed.  He re-assessed the seated man and mentally reviewed past mission reports, if this man was Hydra or somehow involved with what was done to Bucky…

“You were…me? I remember a girl in a red dress— she wouldn't stop screaming. And another girl. A ghost?”  Bucky’s hesitant statement derailed Steve’s paranoia and made Xander widen his eye in recognition.

A half-smile stretched across Xander’s face as he slowly nodded, “Halloween, my sophomore year of high school. We had a Chaos Mage that turned everyone into their costumes. I went as a Soldier. I had always assumed that it was the gun the spell latched onto, but now…”  Xander trailed off as he thought about what could have been the trigger for him to end up with the Winter Soldier in his body.

The other occupants of the table had hushed at this exchange and were shooting questioning looks between the two men.

The silence was broken by a scoffing snort from Tony, he leaned back in his chair and raised asymmetrical eyebrows. “Spells? Magic? That’s what you’re going with. Really?”

Pepper reached across the table from where she sat beside Sam and took Tony’s hand in hers. “Tony? Remember when I told you about my second cousin, Tara? About her and her girlfriend?”

Tony looked puzzled at his fiance and shrugged, “I couldn't figure out why you kept calling them witches. I mean – they were so nice when I met them. Mmm, they made the best cookies. Wait…you meant _actual_ witches?” He opened and closed his mouth a few times and then threw up is hands. “Why not? We have Captain Popsicle, the Winter Soldier, and a Norse Thunder god. Witches? Why not?” He crossed his arms and settled back into his seat with a dramatic huff. Pepper sighed and looked back at Xander.

“What was your numerical designation?” questioned Xander to Bucky, “On your tags or in your file?”

Bucky reared back in his seat. He didn’t really want to remember—but, at the same time he did. He settled in his seat and tried recall. He…He didn’t remember.

 He couldn’t remember.

Xander looked understandingly at the formerly brainwashed sniper and didn’t push. He caught Steve’s eyes, “Do you know? I’m certain you’ve come across a number assigned to him when you were looking. I mean, even Logan had a number and he’s Canadian. _You_ had a number.”

“987613150.”

No one spoke as every head turned to look at Natasha. Xander nodded and pulled out his phone. He shot a quick inquiry to Dawn who could access the archives. Steve leaned sideways in his seat and bumped his shoulder into Bucky who attempted to smile back. It looked like the attempt hurt.

The silence was getting heavy as three patrons reflected on their own run-ins with mind control. Clint shook it off and picked up his water and took a sip. He glanced at Natasha out the corner of his eyes to see where her head was at. But she was casually munching on a spring roll that had arrived shortly after the group was seated. He was impressed with her blasé, aside from The Winter Soldier, _she_ had the most history with mind-fuckery.  He glanced up as the waitress approached the table with six menus.

He took half the menus and help her distribute them to the group. She bowed a little and let them to decide what they wanted to order.

Xander paused as his phone chirped with an incoming message. It was from Dawn, and she had attached a picture. He opened the picture, nodded, and then faced the screen out to show Sam, Bucky and Steve. It was a match. All four of them settled back to digest the newest piece of information. Steve and Natasha shared a nod and she tightened the corners of her mouth.  Clint, noticing the look, nudged her booted foot with his own and she relaxed. 

The occupants of the booth and table were quiet for time with their own musings.

“So Cap, I noticed that you weren’t surprised about the whole “magic” thing.” At Tony’s observation Clint sat up in his seat and glanced back at Natasha. She had done the same and they shared a wary look. They’d had their own interactions with the supernatural and they didn’t want to repeat it. It was Xander’s fault.  And freaking Budapest.

Steve paused in reviewing the menu. He slowly set the menu down and carefully closed it and loosely steepled his fingers as he considered his answer. He drew in a careful breath with the side of his mouth, “Well, Tony, I’m not. You’d be surprised…” he nodded slowly with slightly unfocused eyes, “…surprise at the things you’ll see and find once the wreckage has settled.”  He shook his head sharply to dispel lingering pique and glanced at the members of his team, “I had my first encounter with the super natural after Bucky…was gone.”

Everyone straightened in their seats and waited to see if Steve was going to continue.

“I had wanted to get away from everyone and I—I found myself in a blown-out bar. Everything was destroyed except a cracked table and a set a chairs.  I sat down at the closest chair and then… I saw him. Well, first I saw his eyes. He’d been standing in the shadows the whole time and I hadn’t noticed him, hadn’t heard him. Nothing.”

He paused to reflect on the memory. Xander started to get a sneaky suspicion the he know who ‘ _he’_ was.

“He _glided_ to where I was seated and placed a bottle and a glass in front of me. He didn’t say anything. Just squeezed my shoulder and looked back at these three neat piles of black ash. And then—he was gone. Not long after that Peggy found me.”

Silence settled around the group once more as they digested what they had just heard.

“That was it? Just a man standing in the shadows that you hadn’t heard or seen when you were distraught. And you automatically assume—what? Vampire?” Tony, ever the doubting tom asked.

Steve shot an irritated look at Tony. “Yes. But, as I said that was only the first time. It was more blatant later.”  He rolled his shoulder to dispel built up tension.

“Huh, you were lucky he was mourning; too emotional to make the Thrall work.” Said Xander as he scrunched down in his seat to reach the bag that rested by his feet.  “I’ve heard this before and he still brags that he got to meet the original Captain America; a man whose story is almost as well-known as his.  And that he got to see you punch Hitler seven times.” As he spoke, Xander felt around for the front flap and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. It had a blood-red wax seal inscribed with an intricate D with rivets of hardened wax making it look like an open wound.

“This, I think, belongs to you.”

Steve stared at the offered paper and hesitantly took it. He didn’t open it. He held it in his lap for a moment, pursed his lips, as he considered the page and what it could mean. A small sound from the man next to him had him sitting up and tucking the paper in a pocket. They’d read it later.

“Dracula? You’re saying Dracula is a _fanboy_?” This time it was Clint that spoke.  He looked at Xander, “What does that make you? What with delivering his letters and all. His Rumsfeld?”

The dark look that flickered over Xander’s face had Natasha reaching for her chopsticks again and Clint’s hand twitched for the nine mil that was tucked in a hidden holster.  Xander took in a slow breath and Sam grabbed the hand that had curled into fists. He stroked his thumb of the tense knuckles. He wasn’t quite sure what had caused it, but he knew the look that had been on Xander’s face. He’d seen it several times of Veterans’ faces when they encountered something that made them remember something particularly unpleasant.

“For a time. When I was in high school…and then again, almost a two years ago.” Xander’s voice was quiet and a little rough. “But, like you” he nodded at Bucky, “I had good friends that found me and brought me back.”

Any further conversation was halted by the arrival of the waitress. Everyone gave their order and settled in to talk amongst themselves on the information they had just been given.

Sam leaned forward in his seat and studied Xander’s face. He hadn’t stopped holding the younger man’s hand.  Xander smiled slightly as he interlaced their fingers. “They funny thing is, we still keep in contact.” At Sam’s slightly horrified look, he continued, “I know what you’re thinking but. After I got back a lot of shit happened and our whole world changed, and then changed again. He helped us and…he changed too. Plus the next time he even thinks about it his head and shoulders will be separating ways.”

Sam still stared at Xander, but eventually he sighed. “How do I keep attracting guys like you and Steve?”

Xander half-stood to lean over the table and pecked Sam on the lips. “You’re just lucky.”  Xander sat back down and he and Sam continued to ignore the looks now being thrown at them.

The waitress and two others arrived, carrying heavy, steaming bowls and plates of food. There almost wasn’t enough room for all the dishes on the table. As the party started to tuck into their food their still hovering waitress asked the group how to split the check.

“Its not.” replied Pepper.  She stared at Tony and spoke, “Tony here is going to be footing the bill since he crashed our friends date.”

He opened his mouth to protest, just for the principle of the matter, but the narrow-eyed look he got from Pepper convinced him to close it. He turned to the waitress and offered his press smile.

“Check please.” 


	3. Assumptions and the Tales they Tell

“Sam.”

Clint raised an eyebrow in surprise and backed away from his usual sparring partner. Steve and Bucky pause in setting down there gear and share a look.  The continued silence is broken by a muffled snicker from Toney as he sees the slightly worried look on Sam’s face.

Sam, for his part, eyes Natasha trying to figure out just why she had singled him out. She stared back at him, expression impassive and unreadable.  She’d tell him when she was ready, maybe. The corner of his mouth twitches as he nodded his consent. Only faint tightening of her lips shows how pleased Natasha is.

They both continue their normal warm up in silence, completely ignoring the other’s curious glances.

~*~

“Umph,” the sound was quiet and yet it froze everyone in the training area.  Bucky paused mid-swing as he snapped his head to see Natasha gracefully pick herself off the mat. Bucky swallowed and straightened, he was unaware that he had started to drift towards the two individuals squaring off again.  Steve, entranced himself, followed his beau’s lead and unashamedly joined his other team-mates as they watched Sam and Natasha spar—no _dance._ Although, he had never seen a dance as deadly as the one those two were displaying now.

Natasha flowed like water striking in, down, up and around like the tide set on decimating a cliff side. And then there was Sam—gentle, always smiling, laughing, singing Sam moving like the avian hunter he was named for. He moved with and against Natasha’s attacks like a bird of prey on the wind hunting its next meal.

 They had been sparring for almost fifteen minutes at this point and paused by silent, mutual agreement to get water and wipe the sweat off. Sam was mid-swallow when Natasha appeared at his side, and he jumped slightly. She canted her weight to one side as she considered him. Sam waited in silence.

“Stop holding back. I want to know; I want to _see._ Show me.”  Her voice was quiet, but firm.

Stark, who had heard the remark about holding back, choked and started coughing.  He and Clint hadn’t even bothered to pretend to be training, they had been watching the two. He had known that Natasha had been holding back. He hadn’t thought Sam had been though.  Clint smirked at the sputtering, but didn’t take his eyes off the two still in the ring.  He too was curious to see just what their jovial teammate was capable of.

Sam slowly lowered the sports bottle and cocked his head to the side. He’d kinda been expecting this since the Red Thai Dragon.  He was surprised she had waited so long, two weeks anyway. He considered her a moment, then drew in a breath and huffed it out in a rough sigh, “I can’t—not fully.” He waived his hand vaguely, “What was done was made permanent.”

She nodded slowly not breaking eye contact and smirked mockingly, “Wouldn’t want you to _Snap,_ Wilson.” 

Sam stared hard at her for a moment, wondering just how much she knew and _how_ she knew. Natasha’s smirk melted into a smile and half-shrug as she let her arms lightly swing by her side. “Don’t worry, I can take ‘im”.  They ignored the baffled looks they were getting.

Sam decided to just go with it.

Clint, Steve, and Bucky froze and straightened when Sam grinned, razor like, and his posture _shifted_. The movement was subtle, but the amount of controlled violence now emanating from their friend was almost palpable. It was surprising. And worrying.

The match begun anew and the following ten minutes were stunning to those watching. If their previous match had been a graceful dance this was like watching a white squall on the open sea: sudden, fast moving, and deadly. Every movement was used with the purpose of causing pain. It ended with Sam on his belly, head and left shoulder pinned and almost smothered by Natasha’s right thigh. His right arm was held at a painful angle behind his back. She held the position for a moment then gracefully flowed to her feet, thunking Sam’s head onto the mat. She bent down and held out a hand as Sam laughed and allowed her to help him to his feet.

Sam, _Sam_ was back to normal.

The four spectators shared another look and the two ignored them as they compared notes on their way to the showers. Before the two parted Natasha lightly touched Sam’s arm, the kind of touch she had not given him since she had learned of Xander, “I see what he sees in you…even if you _did_ hold back.” Then she winked and slipped into the women’s locker room. Sam smiled, happy that all was right in the world again, and exited the gym.

“Sooo…does anyone want to explain what just happened?” asked Tony as he stared at the two doors his teammates just disappeared into.

Clint looked at the other three and shrugged, “They’ll tell us when they’re ready.” Steve and Bucky nodded in agreement and moved to continue their spar.

~*~

Five hours after their respective work-outs the team mates sat down for a family style dinner at the Avengers Tower. Pepper had insisted.  Sam sat across from Natasha and sat beside Bucky. He was absentmindedly listening to the bickering between Tony and Steve and planning his return trip to DC when his vacation was over. His thoughts were derailed when he felt the steady stare of Bucky on him. He looked at his friend and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

“How did you meet him?”

Sam didn’t need to ask who the “him” in question was. His teammates had apparently taken great interest in his love life. Sam tilted his head back as he thought and then smiled.

“I met him at work.” Sam notices that the other conversations at the table had ceased. “Alright, it’s like this…”

~*~

Xander knelt next to the still panting Slayer and rubbed her arms soothingly to try and help calm her down. She’d had another anxiety attack. He quietly coached her into matching her breathing with his and unclenching her hands. When she felt better she stood and stiffly walked out the foyer and into the belly of the dormitory. She wanted to be alone.

He stayed on the ground and stared where she had been. It was getting worse after the last patrol, a few of the girls had been ambushed. None of them had been killed but their injuries and trauma they had sustained was significant. Xander was at a loss on how he could help them, he’d tried to talk with them; they weren’t ready. But, he was confident they would talk when they were. He sighed, placed his hand against the wall and slowly stood.

“They need help, you know that right?”

The voice came from behind him and originated from a one Slayer Sonia Jayne, formerly SSG Jayne. Xander nodded slowly as he turned his body and head so he could see her completely. He grimaced, “I know. They know they know my door is always open, they’re not ready to talk yet.”

She stepped closer and nodded as she smiled fondly at him, “I know your door is always open. But, you’re not always here. Nor can you be at multiple locations at once. They need help, all of us need _help_.” She made a motion at here her sister-slayer had been, “I’ve seen that, Xander, when I came back home.  I’ve been where they are now and it’s not going to get better on its own. And, if it gets any worse we both know how it could end. How many slayers have tried committing suicide or succeeded since The Calling?”

He heaved a sigh dropped his chin to rest on his chest as he rubbed the skin over his eye. He looked so tired right then, “Too many.”

She stepped forward and touched his arm. “Look, when I redeployed I was a mess. But I got help. I have an idea where maybe we can get help too.”  Xander looked at her, head cocked to the side, expression asking her to continue.

She pursed her lips, “I go to group sessions at the VA.” Xander raised an eyebrow, “ _Yes_ , I still go. Anyway. Last time I went I sensed _others_ there, non-hostile, and I think they sensed me too. And…nothing happened; the session continued like always.”

Xander slowly nodded, well aware of the prevalence of mixed-breeds in the military. For some reason it tended to draw those with mixed human-demonic heritage.

She shrugged, “That was last month anyway, I haven’t been back.” Xander made an inquiring noise in the back of this throat, “Oh, my usual group leader has been on vacation. Forced-leave you know, he never took days off. I tried the substitute, Mr. Wilson, he was good but, it was different—I’d rather wait.”

There was a pause in the conversation as she gathered her thoughts and refocused them on the current problem at hand. There was no use getting upset about the change, her group leader was supposed to be back this week.

After a while she continued, “What I’m trying to say is that maybe, _maybe_ , if we can find someone in the know we can… …” she trailed off and waived both her hands to encompass the dormitories.

Xander nodded again, understanding what she was struggling to put into words. “Next time you go to your group session, I will go with you. See if we can get something started locally and perhaps…expand it if it goes well.”

Sonia, bobbed her head in agreement. “The sessions are every Thursday at seven.”

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, “So tomorrow.”

“Yep.” She popped the p as she smirked.

The next day Sonia and Xander entered a large room inside the local VA office. There were metal chairs placed side by side facing a plain brown podium and white wall. There were five others in the room who briefly looked up from their phone or conversation.  Jason Lou, Sonia’s Case Manager and group leader, stood near the podium and smiled in greeting. His smile froze however when he saw Xander and his eyes shot back at Sonia again and his eye flickered, pupils briefly turning into slits.

Both Sonia and Xander paused at his reaction. Sonia shrugged off the disquiet and continued towards Jason with an outstretched hand in her normal greeting. Jason relaxed and shook her hand.  Sonia released his hand and gestured to Xander, “Jason, this is Xander Harris, he’s here for moral support.”

Jason and Xander exchanged handshakes and Sonia continued, “This week’s been…rough, with my _other_ job.” She fidgeted a as Jason frowned as he listened, “And, I know I can get help here but I’m not the only one that needs help… …my sisters…” she trailed off.

Xander kept quiet, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She flashed him a grateful smile. The last attack had affected her a lot more than she had let on.

Jason studied the two in front of him and seemed to come to a decision, “Ok. Would you be more comfortable if we spoke one on one after the session? We’ll talk about what can be done for you and your sisters.” Jason turned his attention to Xander, “Will you be joining us tonight, Knight?”

Xander looked a Jason. He’d noted how Jason had tensed slightly when he addressed Xander. He also noted that at least three new-comers into the room had been eyeing him uncomfortably. They were more at ease with Sonia. 

“Ah—no. This is your territory and I think my presence would get in the way of the healing here, don’t you think? I’ll stay in the hallway. But, thank you for the invitation.”

Jason relaxed slightly and gave rueful smile. While the Knight did not have the volatile reputation of the Last Slayer or the Red Witch he had a reputation of being unpredictable…and ruthless. Nevertheless he had not looked forward to him being in the audience.

Xander, with one last look at Sonia, turned and made his way into the hallway where he sat on a wooden bench to wait.

Sonia watched him go with a slight frown. She looked at Jason and said in a low voice, “He needs help too, you know. Probably more than any of us. _He’s_ the one we go to, plus, he has his own demons.” She grimaced at her choice of words but Jason didn’t take offence. He looked thoughtfully at the double door the Knight had disappeared through, he sighed lightly and then motioned for Sonia to take a seat. It was time to begin.

Xander let the smooth wood cradle his body as he tilted his head back and closed his eye. He breathed deeply and tried to let built up tension drain from his body as he waited.

He hated waiting.

Soft and even treading on the tile whispered closer to him. Xander slowly opened his eye and met two concerned, chocolate eyes. The tall African-American male gestured at the open seat asking permission to sit down.  Xander nodded briefly and summoned his normal smile, but it felt off. He wasn’t sure why Jason’s reaction to him sat heavy in his thoughts, but they did. And he was tired.

“You look like a man that needs to get something off his chest.”  The man sat, canted slightly to face Xander.  He gestured to the double door across the hall from them, “we _do_ have groups for that.” He paused a beat, “You a Vet?”

Xander looked at the male again and shook his head, he attempted another smile, “Moral support.” He straitened and held out his hand, “Xander Harris.”

His had was taken in a strong grip, “Sam Wilson.” Sam took in a quick breath, “You know, it’s not uncommon for ‘moral supporters’ to need help themselves.” Xander could hear the quote marks, and he watched the man’s head bob in a slight nod as he leaned forward conspiringly. “We have groups for that too.”  Sam’s voice was lightly teasing.

Xander let out a half-breath in a laugh. He raised an eyebrow and this time his smile came easier, “Yeah? I might have to take you up on that.”

~*~

“That’s it?” Tony asked incredulously, “You meet once and then you’re bumping uglies?”

Sam grimaced at the interruption, “One, do you really have room to talk? I remember reading quite a few choice article on your dating habits. No offense Pepper. And two, _no._ We saw each other a few times at the VA but we didn’t actually start dating until later.”

Bruce, who had said nothing up to this point asked from the other side of Steve, “What changed?”

Sam squirmed slightly, “I saw him flying.” At the confused looks, “Not literally. I was running at the park—” Sam ignored Steve’s snort, “—when I saw him and a half-dozen girls racing full-tilt. At first I thought something was wrong and then they started… …man, I’ve never seen so many off the wall stunts, literally.”

He smiled in remembered fondness, “Parkour. They were doing parkour and he was just… …” he trailed off with a   besotted smile. He waived away the moment after a pause, “He sees me and decides it would be funny to pass me doing backflips and cartwheels.” He ignored Steve’s laughter. 

“ _Anyway_ , at the end of my circuit he and a few of the girls are waiting for me with these shit-eating grins.”

“—that’s when he asked you out?” interrupted Tony.

Sam smirked, “No. That’s when I called him out and challenged him to a race. Length of the park to the reflection pool, extra points for style.” Natasha raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, “The girls got to be the judges.”

“Who won?” Natasha question with a knowing smirk.

“No one. We came at a tie and scheduled a rematch. And yes Tony, _that’s_ how we started seeing each other.”

Tony huffed, “Rude.” Pepper smiled lightly at his direction and shook her head fondly as the others snickered at Tony’s pout.

Clint leaned forward, his eye narrowed slightly. “You said something was made permanent. What does that have to do with Xander?”

Sam’s eyebrows shot up, surprised by Clint’s question. He was silent for a moment and then studied Clint. His eyes tracked the space between Clint and Natasha and the other occupants of the table grew silent. They waited on his answer.

Finally, Sam said, “It doesn’t.  Not really. At least, not when we first met.” Sam cocked his head to the side, “ _You_ actually have more of a connection to what happened with me than he did initially.” Sam looked significantly at Natasha and then back at Clint.

It was Clint’s turn to real back a bit. He too looked at Natasha, only his eyes was met by her steady, curious gaze. He drew in a slow breath and looked back at Sam.

“Hallie. You were one of hers.”

Sam solemnly nodded as Clint paused. “But—how does that relate to you going all Fight Club in there? I mean, I made a wish, she appeared, and things got better.”

Sam sighed deeply, “She told me that she could fix the wrong but that certain things had to remain the same. For me, her help came at a price; remembrance of what could have been balanced by what was. Said that was the only way to keep the ripples small.”

Clint nodded thoughtfully, his gaze floated to settle on Natasha, “Ripples.”

By this time Natasha, Pepper, Tony, and Bucky are exchanging confused looks. Steve was sitting ram-rod straight and staring down at his plate. He started humming a lullaby, one that made both Clint and Sam stare at him.

When he noticed their stare Steve smiled uncomfortably, “She was one of the nurses at the hospital.”  He grimaced, “No one could figure out how I survived as long as I had. I guess—I guess that answers that question.”

“She used to hum that what I was child. She was one of my father’s assistance that would look after me when my father was—away.” The soft statement came from Bruce.

“That’s nice, but would someone like to explain who this Hallie is?” Tony asked somewhat exasperated.

“And what she has to do with me and Clint?” Natasha added, still staring at the side of Clint’s head.

Sam cleared his throat a bit, “Hallie is the Patron Saint of Lost Childhoods. She is… was a vengeance demon.”  He wasn’t touching Natasha’s question.

There was an awkward pause after Sam’s statement.  Tony stared in open mouth amazement at Sam, Clint, Steve, and Bruce; eyes flickering to and from each face.

Pepper leaned forward, curious, “Vengeance Daemons?”

Sam hummed in in response but didn’t elaborate, neither did Bruce or Steve. Clint opened his mouth to respond, reconsidered, and sat back in his chair.

The silence was getting awkward when finally Clint decided to give explaining another try.

“Vengeance Daemons, well them call themselves ‘Justice Daemons’ like to right the wrongs, often in the most painful and possibly the most way possible. With magic. Generally. Some are like Hallie and some…aren’t. Leave it at that.” He was ignoring Natasha’s continued stare. He felt sweat start to trickle down his hairline and onto his vest collar.

Sam glanced at the air between Clint and Natasha. Yeah, he wasn’t going to touch that either.

Finally, Natasha got tired of waiting. She let a coy smile grace her lips and she leaned forward onto one elbow.  “Tell me about the Ripples and what it has to do with me.” She was looking at Clint, but she was clearly talking to both Sam and Clint.

Steve, Bucky, and Bruce—the cowards, stood from their seats and quickly vacated the area. Tony tried to motion to Pepper that they should leave too, but he was ignored. He settled back in his seat, rolling his eyes childishly and huffing. He was ignored.

Sam’s eyes widened and he stared at Clint who started back at him. He cleared his throat, “Ripples. Ripples…um, do you watch Dr. Who?” Everyone looked at him. “Wah? It’s a great show! See, the 10th Doctor, in the episode about Pompeii, he explained that there are certain things that _have_ to happen for whatever reasons. Well…apparently me remembering who I was,  was one of those. But, that’s just me, I don’ know about you Nat. Clint?”

Natasha turned her gaze to Clint who took a fortifying breath, “Alright.  You remember the first time we met? My mission was to kill you, not bring you in—you already know that.  But I never told you _why_ I brought you in.”

Natasha cocked her head to the side, listening.

“I was about to take the shot when _she_ appeared. She told me that you were one of her’s that she had been forbidden to help. But, _I_ could help you now. I remembered her, you know?” He shrugged, and flopped his hand in the air, “the rest you know.”

There was silence afterwards.

“So how does Xander fit in with this?” Tony, of course it was Tony, that asked.

Sam sighed, “Man, that’s a story for another time.”

 

 

 


End file.
